https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news.atommooloolababeachpharmacy - Blogs2020-02-01T10:41:00+10:00mooloolababeachpharmacyhttps://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/the-coronavirus2020-02-01T10:41:00+10:002020-02-01T10:43:48+10:00The CoronavirusJoe Crowther
How is it spread?Do I need a face-mask?What should I do if I think I could possibly have the coronavirus?

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Coronaviruses are a large, well known family of viruses that cause illnesses that range from the common cold to more severe disease such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

The strain of coronavirus that has emerged from Wuhan in China is a new strain that has not previously been identified in humans. It was originally acquired by exposure to animals at the live animal market in Wuhan, but has subsequently been spreading from human to human. As of 7am, February 1st, 10,000 people have been infected with 200 casualties. Elderly, young and immunosuppressed patients are worst affected.

It is thought that the virus is spread through “droplet” transmission, similar to the common cold. This means that you need to ingest viral-infected particles, usually through your mouth, nose or eyes. The most common way to be infected is touching a contaminated surface with your hands before eating or drinking. As such, it is very important that people who have the virus, or people who are beginning to feel unwell, wear a face mask to reduce contamination through sneezing or coughing. Conversely, there is very little benefit to healthy, unaffected people wearing masks. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to regularly wash your hands with products such as "pharmacy care alcohol-free handwash" and to avoid sick contacts.

The symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. If you feel like you are coming down with a flu-like illness and could potentially have been in contact with somebody affected, please call 13 Health (13 43 25 84).

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/blue-bottles2020-01-10T10:34:00+10:002020-01-10T10:35:47+10:00BLUE BOTTLES! Our Least Favourite Summer Visitor to the BeachJo Host
Bluebottles are native to the waters of Australia and can be found on almost any the open beaches, including Mooloolaba. Bluebottles are notorious for causing extreme pain to those who have been stung by their deceivingly beautiful blue tentacle. Despite preferring warmer waters, bluebottles can be dragged in to the cooler waters of winter through the tides. Therefore, it is important to know how to effectively manage stings should you be unfortunate enough to encounter the bluebottle, wither in the water or on the sand.

First and foremost it is important to know that our Lifeguards are our friends. They really look out for us, and tell us if there are bluebottles in the ocean. As such, it is important to look out for signage, or even ask the friendly Lifeguards if there have been bluebottles spotted.

So what do you do if you are stung? Firstly, remain calm – being stung will not be the most pleasant experience of your life, in fact it can be extremely distressing. To make matter worse, sometimes the tentacle can remain attached to the skin which can result in more pain and blistering on the site of stinging. If this does happen, the tentacle should be removed using tweezers or gloved hands. If these are not available to you, peeling it off using your finger are fine, though a stinging sensation may be felt. Once removed, the area should be rinsed using seawater to remove any stinging cells that may have been left behind.

It is vital that you do not rub the area at all. The skin after stinging is really sensitive and irritating it further by rubbing will contribute to more pain. Furthermore, rubbing the area allows the toxins from the tentacles to spread further from the initial site. The area stung, should then be placed in warm-hot water for 15-20 minutes to relieve the pain. This water should not be uncomfortably hot at around 45oC. An ice pack can then be applied to the area for further pain relief.

What else can be done? At Mooloolaba Beach Pharmacy, we stock a variety of products that will help you recover from the horrors of being stung by a bluebottle.

Antihistamine tablets can be taken to help reduce any swelling from stings and to reduce the severity of an allergic reaction to the sting like Chemist Own Cetirazine

Chemist Own Paracetamol tablets can be taken to help ease the pain associated with the stings. These come in a variety of formulations that allow safe use in all populations of all ages.

Chemist Own Antiseptic Plus cream can be used to sooth and prevent any form of infection developing on the sting. The lignocaine in the formulation is a local anesthetic that acts to relieve any pain of itching on the affected areas.

Ego Pinetarsol Gel is an amazing anti-itch wash which helps to reduce the swelling and itch

Cold therapy reduces swelling, while providing a numbing effect to ease pain and discomfort. This can be achieved using Medi-Pak reusable hot/cold packs.

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/spotting-skin-cancers2019-10-11T13:17:00+10:002019-10-11T13:17:33+10:00Spotting Skin CancersJo Host
All of our pharmacists at Mooloolaba Beach Pharmacy advocate for a healthy, active, outdoor lifestyle and living around Mooloolaba it would be a waste to not spend as much time as possible outside! However, on a beautiful day at the beach it’s easy to overlook the risks that the sun exposes us to.

Queensland is the skin cancer capital of the world; in Queensland melanoma has a prevalence of 71 in 100,00 and 2 out of 3 Queenslanders will be diagnosed with a skin cancer by the time they are 70. This is a preventable, life threatening condition and ‘skin cancer capital of the world’ is not a title we should be proud of.

There are three main types of skin cancers, basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas and melanomas.

Basal cell carcinomas typically have a ‘pearly’ appearance, but can present in many ways. Sometimes it’s an obvious lesion, other times it’s just a little ‘sore’ that won’t heal.

Squamous cell carcinomas are typically “scally”, but can have look like a wart that scabs over.

Melanomas carry the worst prognosis and can be the hardest to spot.

The mnemonic “ABCDE” can be helpful in deciding between moles and something more sinister. A – Asymmetrical. Moles should be round!B – Borders are irregular.C – Colour changes or different colours within the one mole.D – Diameter greater than 6mm is more likely to be sinister.E – Evolution. Is the lesion getting bigger or changing colour?

Most people require a formal skin check every 12 months at an accredited GP or with a dermatologist, but this be more regular if you have a history of skin cancer or multiple risk factors.

These checks are not foolproof and you have much more time to check your own skin than a GP ever will! Ensure you are inspecting your skin thoroughly, at least every 3 months, and taking pictures of spots that you think might be changing! If you spot one, your medical practitioner can look at it with a dermatoscope and decide whether or not a biopsy is necessary!

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/the-importance-of-vitamin-d2019-10-04T10:44:00+10:002019-10-04T10:44:49+10:00The Importance of Vitamin D!Jo Host
Despite being the skin cancer capital of the world, almost one third of the Australian population don’t have enough vitamin D! Your body usually makes vitamin D from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to UV-B rays from the sun but for those of us working throughout the day, getting regular, small periods of sun exposure can be tough. Small, regular periods are important, as going out for hours in our climate will increase your risk of skin cancer.

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Vitamin D tells your intestine to absorb calcium and without calcium your bones can become weak and brittle. If you have had blood tests that show a vitamin D and a calcium deficiency, we recommend a combination product with both Calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements on their own, however, can be used very safely to help prevent a deficiency to maximise bone health. Not many people with vitamin D deficiency show symptoms until it’s too late so if you think you could be at risk, come instore and talk to one of our Pharmacists today!

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/iron-deficiency-how-much-iron-do-you-need2019-08-03T12:47:00+10:002019-08-03T12:47:36+10:00Iron Deficiency - How much Iron do you need?Sally Taylor
Iron Deficiency

Anaemia is the clinical term used when somebody doesn’t have enough functioning red blood cells in their body. This leads to a lack of oxygen being transported around the body. As such, an anaemic person feels fatigued and lazy, unmotivated and can even feel dizzy, especially when standing up quickly. Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anaemia in the world, as iron is one of the most important building blocks for red blood cells.

Australia reports rates of anaemia of almost 1 in 5 people and this number is even higher in women of reproductive age and children. Iron deficiency is also extremely common in those who choose a vegetarian or vegan diet, as leafy greens, nuts, lentils and beans contain “non-heme” iron which is more twice as hard for us to absorb.

Luckily there are many iron supplements available. Ferrograd C is the brand pharmacists recommend due to the added vitamin C which helps your body absorb the iron. Liquids can also be better tolerated in some patients. If you think you may be iron deficient, come in and speak to the pharmacist today.

Disclaimer: Overtreatment with iron can incur adverse effects and supplements should only be taken with advice from a health care professional. If worried, the safest way to check iron levels is with a blood test at your local GP.

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/influenza-vaccine2019-05-21T08:56:00+10:002019-05-21T08:57:15+10:00Influenza vaccineJo HostVaccines for the 2019 influenza season are now available at Mooloolaba Beach Pharmacy! Some pharmacists are now registered and trained to administer influenza vaccines, as well as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and the Diptheria-tetanus-pertusis (DTPa – whooping cough!) vaccines.

Influenza remains a common cause of hospitalisation and death in Australia. The quadrivalent vaccine available in pharmacy this year provides increased immunity to the 4 strains Queensland Health believes will have the biggest impact this flu season;

A 2015 strain from Michigan

A 2017 Strain from Switzerland

A 2013 strain from Phuket

A 2017 strain from Colorado (not included in trivalent immunisations).

Vaccination is funded under the national immunisation program if you are;

65 Years of age or older

Identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Pregnant

Have other chronic health conditions

You may also qualify for a high-dose, trivalent vaccine. Come in store to see if you qualify for the National Immunisation Program or to get your vaccine during business hours from Monday through Friday!

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/eczema-in-children2019-05-14T20:00:00+10:002019-05-14T20:00:33+10:00Eczema in ChildrenJo HostEczema usually refers to the medical term Atopic Dermatitis (Atopic: Allergy based, Dermatitis: skin inflammation). It commonly develops in childhood but can sometimes present for the first time in adults. It is a result of both inherited genetic factors, as well as exposure to environmental factors.

Clinically it presents with dry, red, itchy patches of skin, most often on the face and in the skin folds of the elbow, knee, ankle and wrist. It can progress and be very severe, with hospitalisation necessary in some cases. Most commonly it resolves through childhood and disappears before primary school, however a small percentage of patients have eczema into adulthood.

It is best to avoid common triggers, such as soap, shampoo, bubble bath (especially those commonly found in hotel rooms!), rough clothing, carpet, grass and heavily chlorinated pools or spas. As such we recommend regularly using a soap free wash and moisturiser, such as Dermaveen or QV washes. If the skin is very dry, a Urea cream such as Urederm is ideal.

During flares, a topical corticosteroid will bring down the redness and inflammation and pharmacists can provide hydrocortisone 1% creams such as DermAid or Cortic-DS for this, or refer you to the doctor for more severe attacks.

Pharmacists are often in a better position than doctors to help prevent attacks, so come in and see the friendly team at Mooloolaba Beach Pharmacy if you or your child has symptoms of eczema!

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https://mooloolababeachpharmacy.myshopify.com/blogs/news/boosting-your-immune-system-for-winter2019-05-07T12:16:00+10:002019-05-07T12:16:48+10:00Boosting your Immune System for WinterJo Host
Summer is gone and Winter is coming!

HealthDirect, an Australian government-funded service, is predicting a bad flu season this year with influenza diagnoses already exceeding previous averages throughout April. Now is the time to boost your immune system!